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March 27, 2026
Florida panthers

SUNRISE — Say what you will about this Florida Panthers season, but question their moxie at your own peril.

The Panthers, for all intents and purposes, are done.

For the first time in a few years, they no longer appear in the Stanley Cup betting odds. As fans debate and discuss who is the best Eastern Conference bet, they’re unwittingly debating who will officially end the Panthers’ reign, though it’s already over.


That does not mean they have quit.

Far from it.

Thursday’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild could have gone a lot differently than it did.

It’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game.

That famous sports quote was attributable to legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice.

Paul Maurice was probably thinking the same thing after Aaron Ekblad scored with 1:13 left to tie the score against the playoff-bound Wild only to see Joel Eriksson Ek win it with less than 5 ticks on the clock.

If the Panthers were in a heated playoff race, the loss would have been crushing.

Given the circumstances, Maurice preferred to emphasize the positive.

He was not alone.

The Panthers had seven regulars out of the lineup, then lost Evan Rodrigues on his first shift.

Florida’s patchwork lineup included five players who spent a lot of time in the AHL this season, yet managed to give the Wild a battle it may not have truly expected.

The preliminary diagnosis on Rodrigues is a broken finger which might require surgery.

It appears he will be joining the expanding group whose season is now over.

Mackie Samoskevich may return to the lineup Saturday afternoon on Long Island.

With Rodrigues now out, the Panthers have no spare healthy players, so it is possible for another recall before Saturday.

Sandis Vilmanus, Jack Studnicka, and Jack Devine all spent time with the Panthers earlier in the season and at least one is a probable recall.

Down 2-0 going into the third, the gritty bunch of old and new Panthers managed to tie it on goals by Matthew Tkachuk and Ekblad.

The first came 42 seconds into the period; the latter came on a one-timer from the left faceoff circle with just over a minute remaining and Daniil Tarasov pulled from the net for an extra skater.

Tarasov made 47 saves in perhaps his best effort as a Panther.

It looked like sure overtime until Joel Eriksson Ek scored off his own deflection from in front of the net with Tomas Nosek draped all over him.

Maurice’s postgame assessment could have been applied to any number of games this season.

“We’re down three centermen a minute into the game so we’re moving people all over, out of position, playing with new guys,’’ Maurice said. “They’re on us pretty good. Stay in the fight. Stay in the fight. Don’t quit. (We) score early in the third, find a way to tie it and then just can’t hang on to it at the end…

“It’s just painful when you’re right there. They’re right on the bench. They’re encouraging each other. All these new guys in the lineup. Chucky’s cheering for them. Our veteran guys are making sure they get a tap on the pads…The veteran guys are being so good to the new guys and young guys that they play hard. They’re going to play hard. They play for each other.  They’re tough results but I’m not asking any more of them.”

He added a final thought which might typify the season.

“We got used to having five or six guys out,’’ Maurice said with a hint of resignation.

“Now we’re getting to nine and 10. It’s tough.”

Tkachuk praised Tarasov’s effort in still another tough loss for him. He is 9-13-2 with a fistful of excellent efforts which ended in disappointment.

“I don’t know how many of these we’ve had this year. Losing in the last minute, the last few seconds,’’ Tkachuk said. “We’ve had a lot of them. Kind of the story of the year.”

But the fight of the Panthers?

“I’m proud of the guys. We’re fighting. We’re fighting together,’’ Tkachuk went on.

“Nobody’s quitting on each other. We tied it up late. Guys are going all the way to the end…It’s not easy. The games are not fun when you’re in this position. I’ve never been in this position before and I don’t want to be back.”

The Panthers have 11 games left.

They will play for pride and in some cases, for next year’s contracts.

The team will take off today for a two-game jaunt to New York where they will face the improved Islanders who are trying to hang on for a playoff spot, and the Rangers who are in a similar position as the Panthers, with a fluid lineup chock full of new players.

Will the Panthers keep fighting?

Sounds like they will.

ON DECK: GAME No. 72
FLORIDA PANTHERS at NEW YORK ISLANDERS 

 

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